This invention relates to a foldable playpen and more particularly to a new and improved construction which permits folding a playpen into a reduced size which is insertible within a foldable floor to permit ease of carrying and storage.
Conventionally, a playpen, or play yard, is provided for a baby to utilize during the daytime as a protected area for playing. It is generally of a portable construction which permits movement of the playpen to position it in an area which can be watched by the mother or other guardian. It must therefore be of lightweight material and of collapsable structure. At the same time, it is often desired to store or transport the playpen, and therefore, its construction must be of a type permitting it to be easily folded.
Most prior art playpens include a frame construction with hinges and linkages. The walls of the playpen are frequently of a net, formed of a fabric or plastic material which interconnects the frame. The floor of the playpen is either of single or split construction formed with hinges to permit it to be lifted up during folding of the playpen.
A typical construction is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,092,847, issued June 11, 1963 to C. T. De Puy. This playpen includes an upper frame having two rigid U-shaped members with their free ends disposed adjacent to each other and pivotal in a downward direction. Diverging legs extend downward from the interconnected U-shaped frame members. Additional U-shaped members are connected near the bottom of the legs to form the lower frame. A single piece floor is pivotally mounted on one of the bottom members and is positioned to rest on the other bottom member, when the legs are pivoted apart. To fold the playpen, the bottom floor is lifted up and the legs are brought together while at the same time pivoting into a downward direction the two U-shaped members forming the top frame. The resulting foldable playpen forms a construction which lies along a substantially vertical plane. However, the length of the folded playpen is the full length of the entire playpen. As a result, the playpen must be stored in an area which has sufficient length to accommodate the playpen. Additionally, in transporting the playpen, it must be carried in a manner where there is sufficient room to accommodate this length.
Another foldable playpen is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,206,772 issued Sept. 21, 1965, to R. J. Sarasin. In this construction, again the upper frame is formed of two U-shaped members with their free ends pivoted together. Diverging legs extend downward from the pivoted interconnected sections, and bars are interconnected between the legs to form the bottom frame. The floor member includes two sections pivoted one to the other and foldable along their axis. The outer edges of the floor members are pivotally connected to the two bars. In this playpen, the floor is moved upwardly at its center, the two legs are moved together and the top U-shaped members are pivoted in a downward direction. However, again the entire length of the playpen remains fixed, and in order to store or transport the playpen, sufficient length is needed to accommodate the entire length of the playpen.
In many cases, the storage area available is insufficient to accommodate the full length of the playpen. Furthermore, when travelling and transporting the playpen in a vehicle, the length of the playpen is often greater than the available space in the trunk or rear portion of the vehicle and the playpen must be awkwardly carried on the roof or other external part of the vehicle. Furthermore, because of its length, it often becomes necessary for two people to carry the folded playpen to thereby be able to transport it.